Typewriter attachment



ug. Mr, E923.

D. K. HOWELL TYPEWRITER ATTACHMENT Filed March v, 1921 2 sheets-sheet l Aug. M, i923. Lull D. K. HOWELL TYPEWRITER ATTACHMENT Filed March 7, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet patented Aug. lle-1. 12233.

tra stares` HOWELL,

` TTPEWRITER ATTAUEHENT. y

mantener tiled. Merch Y, ieai. feel-iai rio. eeaaee.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that ll, Dnmnriiins K. HowiaLL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Typewriter Attachorder to return the carria ments, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to improvements in typewriter attachments, and has for. its primary object an attachment for use in typewriters which obviates the use of the hands on shift keys and also in the returning and spacing of the carriage.

A further object is to construct an attachment for typewriters whereby the carriage can be returned to commence a new line and rotated for the proper spaci of the lines without removing the hands lrom position on the key board. f

A still further object is to construct an attachment for t ewriters whereby the carriage can be shifted without changin the position of the hands on the key boar A still further object is to construct an attachment for typewriters whereby a considerable amount of time can be saved inasmuch as through the use of my device it is not necessary to remove the hands from the writing position on the key board in for starting a new line, spacin and shifting. These operations being pe ormed by the feet.

lin the drawings:

' Fig. l is an elevation of a typewriter with my improved attachment secured thereto.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view ofthe carriage returning and spacing attachment showing it in its proper position when attached to the machine.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the shift keys with the shifting attachment secured thereto.

Fig. a is a front elevation of the shift ke attachment.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the attachment which goes on the platen knob. 4

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of the same.

Fig. 7 is a lan view of the double pedal made use of or the shifting of mechanism.

` lin the construction of my device li employ a typewriter having a base 8 and laten 9 and shift keys 10 and 11. Secure to one end of the platen is a shaft 12 on which is secured a toothed wheel 13. This wheel is for the line spacing Loosely secured on the shaft 12 is a gear segment 14e, which meshes with a segment 15. The segment 14 is provided with an opening through which the end 16 of a lever 17 passes. This lever is mounted on the sleeve 18, which is slidably mounted on the shaft 12. Secured to the sleeve 18 is a knob 19. This knob is for the purpose of moving the sleeve 18 and carrying with it the lever 17 so that the end 16 thereof will engage with the teeth on the wheel 13. When this is done the segment 15 .is partially turned. This imparts rotation to the segment 14 and it in turn -to the lever 17,- which causes the carriage to rotate. Loosely mounted on the knob 19 is a housing 20, which has a central circular depression 21. This is designed to conta@ with the outer face of the knob 19 and still permit the knob to rotate without binding. The end 22 of the housing is slit and crimped inwardly so as to allow it to be sprung over the kno and still hold it loosely thereon. Fitted over the housing 20 is a second housing-23,-which is closed at one end and has projecting through it a tube 24C. This tube is provided at both ends with a beaded portion 25 over which a cable 26 passes. This cable is flexible and may be formed of various materials such as gut, braided silk and the like. The cable 26 has secured to one end a, hook 27, which is designed to be attached to the typewriter frame at any convenient point. The cable after passing through the tube 24 is inserted through a tube 28, which is secured to the carriage at l the rear of the platen and near the left hand end. This tube is also provided with a beaded end 29. This is for the purpose of reducing friction and wear on the cable. Secured to the right hand side of the frame 8 is a frame 30 having formed integral therewith projections or lu 31 through which screws 32 pass. This is for the purpose of securing the frame 30 to the typewriter frame 7. Formed integral with the frame 30 are bearings 33 and 34 and in these bearings is mounted a shaft 35, which shaft has its end 36 turned around so as to t in the bearing 33 and also to receive the set collar 37. The shaft 35 is square, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and has mounted near its opposite end a bushing 38, which is located in the bearing 341. Mounted on the square portion of the shaft 35 is a sheave wheel 39,

which is secured in position by means of the set screw 40. The purpose of this set screw is to adjust the wheel 39 along the shaft so that the cable 26 will be poperly fed thereon. Projecting from the aring 34 is a turned portion 41, which is formed integral with the shaft 35 and on thls portion is mounted a sheave wheel 42 around which the cable 43 is' adapted to wind, the free end of this cable being attached to a treadle44. Secured to the frame 30 is an e elet 45 through which the cable 26 passes, t is eyelet acting as a guide for the cable between the tube 29 and sheave wheel 39. The treadle 44 is provided with a heel rest 46 to which the treadle is pivotally secured. This heel rest has a projecting portion 47 and formed integral with this projecting portion 1s a screw-threaded lug 48 1n which is seated a screw 49. This screw limits the depression of the treadle 44 and is so regulated that when the carriage is brought to its farthest point to the right the treadle will rest on the head of the screw 49 and prevent undue strain on the cable 43 and the balance of the mechanism. Secured on the shift keys 10 and 11 is a plate 50. This plate has a pair of prongs 51 formed integral therewith and parallel thereto. These prongs are designed to contact with the underface of the key and to straddle the key bar 52. The front of the plate 50 is provided with a pair of downwardly projecting prongs 53, which are designed to prevent the plate 50 from slippingr oii' of the key backward and with the projecting arm 54 to which one end of cable 55 is attached. The other end of this cable being attached to one of the treadles 56.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a double treadle, which is necessary for a typewriter employing a double shift; or in other words a typewriter in which there are three characters on every key. Where my device is used on a machine employing only two characters on each key, a single treadle constructed like the treadle 44 is used.

I have shown my device attached to a typewriter of the Oliver type and will expla-in its operation thereon. I have, however, not gone vinto the detail in which the line spacing mechanism is operated as this forms no part of my invention and is well known to the trade. Furthermore, it is obvious that by minor details in construction, such as can be made by anyone skilled in the art, my device can be used on any make of typewriter and I, therefore, do not deisire to limit myself to the precise construction shown in the drawings.

After the device has been placed in position on the machine, as shown in Fig. 1, the keys are operated feeding the machine t0- ward the left. This unrolls the cable 26 from the sheave 39 and -at the same time winds up the cable 43 on the sheave 42 thereby raising the pedal 44. In the eventthe operator wants to strike a capital letter or use some character in which it 1s necessary to use the shift key the pedal 56 is depressed and the shiftin accomplished without the use of the han s. When the .carriage has completed the line the pedal 44, having been raised by the winding up of the cable 43, is depressed. This unwinds the cable 43 from its sheave and winds up the cable 26. During this operation the knob 19 and sleeve 18 are pulled forward on the shaft 12. This engages the end` 16 of the lever 17 with one of the teeth formed on the toothed wheel 13. The continued strain on the draws the carriage toward t e right and when the carriage has almost completed its movement toward the right the segment 15 is partially turned by means of a mechanism well known on a tpyewriter of the Oliver type. This in turn partially rotates the segment 14 and this in turn imparts motion to the end 16 of the lever 17. This end 16 being in engagement with one of the teeth on the toothed wheel 13 will rotate the platen 9 and 've the proper spacing.

Having fully escribed my invention, what I claim is- 1. A typewriter attachment, comprising in combination with a typewriter frame havin a carriage slidably mounted thereon and a ob attached to said carriage, a housing loosely mounted on said knob, a frame detachably secured to the typewriter frame, a shaft mounted in said frame, sheave wheels secured on said shaft, a cable secured around each sheave wheel and wound in opposite directions, one of said cables being secured to the ty ewriter frame and passing around the carriage and through said housing, al

treadle secured to the remaining cable for rotating said sheave wheels for returning the carriage to its starting position. 2. A typewriter attachment, comprising 1n combination with a typewriter frame having a carriage slidably mounted thereon and a knob secured to said carriage, a housing loosely secured to said knob, a cable secured to the typewriter frame and passing through said housing, a treadle, brackets secured to the typewriter frame, a shaft mounted in said brackets, sheave wheels mounted on said shaft, a cable attached to one of said sheave wheels, its opposite end being secured to the treadle, a cable secured to the frame and passing through the housing, and being secured to the remaining sheave wheel, said cables and sheave wheels adapted to return the carriage to its startin point when the treadle'is depressed.

n testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this s eciication.

n raros K. HOWELL.

edal 44 now p 

